Posted May 24, 2014
high rated
GOG has made Heroes 2 Windows version available some time ago. Though this is just great, there is one thing that does not work in this version - the music does not continue where it stopped when changing terrains etc.
Basically the game should work like this: you are on grass terrain, the music plays. You select a different hero on dirt terrain, music switches to dirt. Now the moment you return to grass, the music should start in exactly the same moment it stopped when switching to dirt. In GOG version the music simply starts from the beginning.
Now it can be fixed, though it requires some playign around with files and CD image mounting. I have prepared some files that ease this and will share them a bit later in this topic. What you need beforehand is:
1. Daemon Tools installed on your PC with virtual drive set up as first CD Drive (if your HDD is C:, virtual drive has to be D: followed by physical drive if it exists). Some other virtual drives may work, but keep in mind that they have to support cue/bin files. Also due to the file construction (1 wav file mapped as several separate tracks) it may cause some problems. On my machine DT works, hence I recommend it for this puprose.
2. LAME.exe binary for mp3 creation. MP3 codec is patent protected, hence I cannot bunde this in the package. You can find it on the Internet - just google it.
3. Heroes of Might and Magic 2 Music Patch - again, to be found on the Internet. Now this is not completely legal (or not legal at all), hence I am not attaching it. On the other hand - it does not include any Heroes files apart from patche exe, music and files necessary for it to work.
4. Heroes of Might and Magic 2 Lossless Soundtrack - this one is easy, just download it from GOG. MP3 soundtrack would be fine, but you would have to rename files manually.
5. Package - it includes disc image (no Heroes 2 files there, so totally legal), FLAC codec for decompression, .bat files for ease of use and a read_me file with instructions.
Also note that the game has to be run "As Administrator" (default GOG setup) as otherwise it won't pick up the CD image.
As usual, I hope someone will find it useful.
/edit
Updated package, some problems in the convert.bat found.
Basically the game should work like this: you are on grass terrain, the music plays. You select a different hero on dirt terrain, music switches to dirt. Now the moment you return to grass, the music should start in exactly the same moment it stopped when switching to dirt. In GOG version the music simply starts from the beginning.
Now it can be fixed, though it requires some playign around with files and CD image mounting. I have prepared some files that ease this and will share them a bit later in this topic. What you need beforehand is:
1. Daemon Tools installed on your PC with virtual drive set up as first CD Drive (if your HDD is C:, virtual drive has to be D: followed by physical drive if it exists). Some other virtual drives may work, but keep in mind that they have to support cue/bin files. Also due to the file construction (1 wav file mapped as several separate tracks) it may cause some problems. On my machine DT works, hence I recommend it for this puprose.
2. LAME.exe binary for mp3 creation. MP3 codec is patent protected, hence I cannot bunde this in the package. You can find it on the Internet - just google it.
3. Heroes of Might and Magic 2 Music Patch - again, to be found on the Internet. Now this is not completely legal (or not legal at all), hence I am not attaching it. On the other hand - it does not include any Heroes files apart from patche exe, music and files necessary for it to work.
4. Heroes of Might and Magic 2 Lossless Soundtrack - this one is easy, just download it from GOG. MP3 soundtrack would be fine, but you would have to rename files manually.
5. Package - it includes disc image (no Heroes 2 files there, so totally legal), FLAC codec for decompression, .bat files for ease of use and a read_me file with instructions.
Also note that the game has to be run "As Administrator" (default GOG setup) as otherwise it won't pick up the CD image.
As usual, I hope someone will find it useful.
/edit
Updated package, some problems in the convert.bat found.
Post edited May 24, 2014 by CRW
